NOVPUBThe air in the back alleys of Rederbelk was so cold it stung the skin.
In that dark space, dyed in a deep navy hue, Hans leaned against the wall and looked up.
“Damn, that’s high.”
Hans prided himself on having seen plenty while drifting through different cities, but Rederbelk—capital of the Empire’s grandeur—towered above anything he’d experienced so far.
Even the shoddy back alley where he stood now felt like a prison made of brick and brass.
“Maybe I should get one of those wire hooks like the boss uses.”
With one of those, escaping from a tight spot in Rederbelk would be far easier.
Though, honestly, the real reason he was considering it was because Ludger had looked cool as hell when he used it during the werewolf pursuit.
At that moment, the shadows at the end of the alley rippled and twisted, like something monstrous was about to emerge.
It looked like a ghost might crawl out—but Hans, lifting his back off the wall, simply straightened his collar and greeted the figure.
He’d seen this kind of entrance more than a few times now.
“You’re here, huh?”
Shffff.
The shadows smoothly shifted and reformed, taking on the shape of a man.
A black Inverness coat, shoulders cloaked in a cape.
Black leather gloves gripping a cane adorned in gold and black.
His hair, usually tied back, now flowed loosely, slicked back beneath a silk top hat.
That alone made Ludger’s impression shift entirely.
“The situation?”
“Right. Let me tell you what I found out. Our hideout’s in the back alley, yeah?”
“It is.”
“Well, as you’d expect, that area is carved up by a bunch of underworld gangs, each with its own turf.”
Hans began organizing and delivering the intel he had gathered.
He had been roaming around for days specifically to dig this up.
“There are four groups in total. One massive and dominant syndicate, and three mid-sized ones.”
“Four total. A bit much, but I suppose that’s to be expected of a big city.”
“I’ll start with the mid-sized ones. First, there’s a circus made up of outcasts—crippled folks, people left behind. They call themselves a labor union of sorts.”
“A circus?”
“In a city like this, if you’ve got some talent, you need to use it to survive. These folks gathered together and called their troupe ‘Circus,’ or Kirkus.”
Ludger nodded as if to say Got it.
“Kirkus. Alright, next?”
“Next is a group made entirely of women. The kind of place you’ll find in every city’s underworld, without exception.”
“A red-light district.”
Without even needing a hint, Ludger nailed it.
To most people, even the mention of that term would evoke discomfort or disgust—but in a place like this, it was a given.
This world operated that way. Even back in 21st-century Earth, such places had always existed.
“They’re not pushovers either. They’ve got their own know-how, and they’ve grown into a proper organization. Their info-gathering skills are impressive, and they’ve got hands in several city businesses. Apparently, they mark their members with a tiny black rose emblem—that’s why they’re called the Women of the Black Rose.”
Women of the Black Rose, huh.
Ludger softly repeated the name.
“And the last one?”
“The final group is made up of kids and the elderly. The old can’t work like they used to, but they’ve got wisdom and experience. The kids, though young, are hustling to survive.”
Ludger nodded again.
Children being used for labor at a young age was sadly common in this world.
Just walking the streets, you’d see swarms of kids selling newspapers.
Some were pickpockets, others ran errands for mansions, and the worst of them labored in mines or factories without rest.
“This alliance of the old and the young is called Old Kids. They’re another info-gathering force—on par with the Black Rose women.”
“Children tend to hear a lot.”
So, the breakdown Hans provided was this:
The circus labor union — Kirkus.
The red-light syndicate — Women of the Black Rose.
The old-and-young alliance — Old Kids.
Three mid-sized organizations that made up the underworld network.
“That leaves the big one.”
“They call themselves Red Society. A back-alley gang.”
“Red Society. I’ve heard the name somewhere.”
“They rule these back alleys. Kidnapping, extortion, drug and narcotic trafficking, black-market alcohol, mercenary work... There’s almost no dirty business they’re not involved in.”
The first three groups were formed to survive—out of necessity, banding together.
But Red Society was different.
They were a natural byproduct of shadow and rot—vermin drawn to the stench.
“This back alley survives on a balance between Red Society and the other three. The gang wreaks havoc, and the other three hold them in check.”
“So they’re the ones we need to deal with.”
“Exactly. The others won’t move unless provoked. They're low-risk. But Red Society... they’re different.”
“No doubt. They either crush smaller groups or absorb them into their own.”
“Be careful. Their power is serious. Lately, we’ve noticed eyes watching our hideout. ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) They’re already sniffing around. So I was thinking, we start by going after their low-ranking members and—”
Hans trailed off as Ludger shook his head, cutting him off.
“No. There’s no need to go for the tail first. That’s a waste of time.”
“What?”
“We go for the head. Cut that off, and the rest will kneel.”
“Wait—what? But how are you planning to—?”
Hans stammered, staring in disbelief. Ludger just gave a faint smile.
“Obviously, we’ll go through the front door.”
He’d even dressed for the part.
Hans wanted to say he was crazy—but then realized Ludger was dead serious, and gave up.
No matter what he said, Ludger always followed through—and succeeded.
Because that’s just who he was.
“Well... judging by your get-up, I guess you’re going to use that identity? The one you called a ‘criminal consultant,’ a kingpin of the underworld.”
“Yes.”
Ludger responded while pulling a golden monocle from his pocket and placing it over one eye.
The cold, sharp air of a soldier that usually clung to him vanished in an instant.
In its place stood a man who looked intelligent, calm—and venomous.
James Moriarty.
That was the alias Ludger would be using this time.
“You’re really going to just charge in head-on?”
“Why?”
“Because the Red Society have been acting real edgy lately. Their thugs are all on edge, roaming in tight groups. It’s not normal.”
“Edgy, huh. I think I know why.”
“You do? But... how?”
Hans was curious. Even he hadn’t figured that out yet.
“It’s probably because of that. The death of Belvotte Rixon, the tycoon.”
“Belvotte Rixon’s death? What would that have to do with— Ah!”
“You figured it out.”
Realization dawned on Hans, and his expression turned grim.
“So... Belvotte Rixon had some kind of connection to Red Society.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
“Yeah. Belvotte Rixon had a filthy reputation long before this. The mysterious deaths of rival businessmen, the fire that wiped out a slum protesting his factory—he was knee-deep in dirt. But do you really think he handled all of that on his own?”
“He had someone doing the dirty work for him.”
“That someone being the Red Society.”
“Right. A man of wealth like that would obviously need someone to take care of his messes.”
“Hans, now that Belvotte Rixon is dead, the Red Society has lost its biggest financial backer. They’re bound to be pissed. Sure, they’re lying low for now, but it won’t be long before they start making moves to cover that financial hole.”
“...So that’s why they’ve been swarming around in groups lately. Wait—hold on. Doesn’t that basically make you their sworn enemy? The reason for all this?”
“That’s right.”
Ludger’s clear response left Hans dumbfounded.
It was true—Belvotte Rixon had been killed by Ludger, so naturally, the Red Society would be in a rage.
Of course, they didn’t actually know Ludger was the one who did it, so calling him a sworn enemy might be a stretch. Still...
“And now is actually the perfect time to hit them. Normally, those bastards would be scattered all over the city—but for once, they’re gathering together.”
“...You’re really gonna go through with this?”
“Why not?”
“Well, I mean, sure, you’re a mage. Even if a bunch of them charge you, you’ll probably be fine. But the Red Society isn’t your typical street gang.”
“Not typical?”
“They’re fully armed—not that it matters much since bullets are worthless against mages. But the problem is, there are a good number of trained fighters among them.”
“Trained?”
“You know... guys who failed out of knight training due to money or discipline issues, or mercenaries who’ve been hardened by years of fighting. That kind of crowd. That’s how the Red Society ended up on top of the underworld here in the first place.” 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
“Meaning they’ve got quasi-knight-level combatants.”
If actual knights were involved, things might get a bit trickier.
Back on Earth, knights were just historical curiosities in armor—but here, they were something else entirely.
A knight was a superhuman.
With just a weapon in hand, they could swat bullets from the air with raw reflexes and strength.
They’d been rivals to mages for centuries, and among mages, knights were considered the most annoying opponents.
Those who wielded Aura could slice through or outright nullify most spells.
That’s why Hans wanted to take a safer, slower approach—even if it took more time.
Charging headfirst into enemy territory, no matter how flashy, was dangerous.
“Sounds fun.”
But Ludger actually smiled at that.
Hans blinked, wondering if he’d heard wrong.
“Wait, you’re really going?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“They’ve got quasi-knights, I said!”
“Quasi-knights are still just quasi. Hans, I think you’re overestimating them. The difference between a quasi-knight and a real knight is huge. And the gap between a regular knight and a knight-captain is even bigger.”
“That’s not the point I’m trying to make...”
“A full knight would be one thing, but quasi-knights? They’re nothing.”
“...”
Hans fell silent at Ludger’s confident tone and seriously started wondering, Maybe he’s right?
He wasn’t exactly wrong.
There was a big difference between real knights and quasi-knights.
“Quasi-knight” was a nice way of saying “failed knight.” Technically, they were even weaker than a knight’s apprentice, who at least trained directly under a real knight.
“...Now that I think about it, maybe I was being too pessimistic.”
He realized he’d probably just been scared off by the word knight and panicked over nothing.
Hans, believing he’d overestimated the threat, gave a reluctant nod.
“Well, if you say so...”
Of course, Hans was completely wrong.
While it was true that quasi-knights weren’t on the same level as real knights or apprentices, that didn’t mean they were weak.
Even a quasi-knight could kill with a spoon if they wanted to.
For the people of the underworld, those guys were basically walking walls.
And Ludger knew that.
He simply didn’t tell Hans.
Even if Hans had known, he would’ve followed him anyway.
Better to keep him ignorant and cooperative.
“Here. Take this.”
Ludger tossed something to Hans.
He caught it and opened his hand to examine it.
“You’ll need this. I’ll be counting on you.”
“...Are you serious?”
What Ludger had thrown—
Was a wolf’s fang.
